It’s time to turn the page to the Minnesota Vikings offseason with free agency just over a month away and numerous free agents to consider.
In Part 1 we looked at Minnesota’s defense. Part 2 focused on its offense.
To conclude, we evaluate special teams.
PR/KR Marcus Sherels
Age: 30
2017 Cap Hit: $2 million
For just the third time in seven seasons as full-time punt returner, Marcus Sherels did not have a return touchdown.
But in no way does that mean the team should move on.
Sherels actually had the fourth-highest average of his career, which is impressive considering he didn’t have any lengthy returns to bump up his numbers. He also added kick returner to his résumé when Jerick McKinnon and Stacy Coley proved to be less capable.
On top of all of it, Sherels continued thriving as a gunner in punt coverage.
Bringing Sherels back on another two-year contract seems like a no-brainer.
K Kai Forbath
Age: 30
2017 Cap Hit: $775K
Kai Forbath’s job as place kicker will likely be the biggest special teams talker of the offseason.
Forbath was middle of the pack in field-goal percentage (84.2) but 30th in extra-point percentage (87.2) last season.
He was, however, 12 of 16 from 40 yards and beyond and nailed a clutch 53-yard field goal in the Vikings’ Divisional Round playoff game.
Bottom line, though: Forbath has not been good enough to earn a firm commitment from the team, in this writer’s opinion. If Minnesota re-signs him to a short-term deal, he’ll likely still have to compete with a young kicker at camp like he did last year against Marshall Koehn.
Alternatively, Graham Gano and Cody Parkey are free agents if the Vikings want to bid for somebody established. Gano was, percentage-wise, the best field-goal kicker in the league last season (96.7 percent), and Parkey was eighth (91.3 percent). Strangely, neither had many opportunities from 50-plus yards with Gano going 0 of 1 and Parkey going 1 of 2.
LS Jeff Overbaugh
Age: 24
2017 Cap Hit: $27,353
The Vikings brought in Jeff Overbaugh to replace the injured Kevin McDermott for the final regular season game and both playoff games, but there’s no reason to believe the team will stray from McDermott next season. There are still three years remaining on his deal, and the Vikings’ punting unit had a very successful regular season with zero touchbacks and only 24 attempted returns.
The blocked punt they had in the playoffs against the Saints may have been Overbaugh’s fault.
